This invention relates to poly(arylene sulfide)s. It relates to methods for preparing poly(arylene sulfides). In a specific aspect, the invention relates to the production of poly(arylene sulfide)s and products produced therefrom having improved thermal stability.
Polyarylene sulfides are an important class of engineering thermoplastics. The favored commercial process for the production of polyarylene sulfides involves the reaction of an aromatic compound such as dichlorobenzene with a sulfur source such as sodium sulfide in a polar reaction medium such as N-methylpyrrolidone. The polymer produced is resistant to many chemicals and exhibits good thermal stability. However, for the increasing industrial applications of polyarylene sulfide, improved thermal stability is desirable. One application is the use of nonwoven fabrics prepared from polyarylene sulfide fibers as filter bags for industrial smokestacks. For this and similar applications, improved heat stability of the polyarylene sulfide fibers is desirable. For certain applications such as thick films, a polyarylene sulfide having relatively low Tmc is desirable.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method for the preparation of polyarylene sulfides. It is a further object to provide a method for preparing polyarylene sulfides having improved heat stability. In one embodiment, it is an object to produce a polyarylene sulfide fiber or monofilament having improved heat stability. In a further embodiment, it is an object to produce low Tmc polyarylene sulfide.